Good day to every single person who have come across my blog in this past year or so. For anyone who have followed my writings and articles for the past year, I would like to sign off warmly, and say a warm thank you.
I am moving sites to my own domain site- addressed as such : www.ramyuva.com effective on August 8, 2010.
If you had even been remotely hooked by my writings so far, you are free to start visiting my domain site, and trust me, it offers even more than the sparse levels that I have written on the blog.
:)
With beautiful regards,
Ram Anand
"One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed to love".
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
The whatever-ness
My hands and my brains can't take it anymore. The ludicrousity that is offered in a beautiful platter every night on Sun TV has been ringing alarm bells in my head for an incredible amount of time now.
Let's get to the bug. We all easily have a laugh at the Tamil TV serials that are being dished out like candies but the day has come when I have to note what makes the world go round here.
Okay, here's a list of things that I have against serials (I can sue them if there's a chance of doing so).
1. Every other cinema actress who fails there take a 'leap of faith' into serials. And she ALWAYS plays the ever-so-goody, exemplary, she loves everybody, she helps everybody, picture perfect woman. Get a life.
2. Oh yeah, all serials are female centered. The leading character is always a woman. Never a man. Male characters are totally incapable of hooking people to the screen for a mind blasting 600 episodes in a row.
3. The lead female is almost always a stand-alone woman at some point- she will live without her husband. She has to do that because she needs to be the strong one, you see? All of them will go through a bit of rocks in their married life. In some cases, the husbands are just plain BAD, you know. Otherwise, it's just sinful isn't it?
4. They waste 5 minutes of each serial with a song. It runs 5 times a week, and that song plays every freaking time. They hire a team of dancers to dance to that, and by the time you get to the story, we are nearly 10 minutes in the time slot. Excellent time-wasting, producers. Be proud.
5. Oh, the easiest job in the world is to write a freaking STORY or even a script for a Tamil drama. It's easy- maybe let's say three scenes for every episode? Rest just leave to the dialogue writer, they know how to stretch even a non-event scene into a cruelly long one.
6. The music composer is the biggest criminal, he places the most thrilling, heart beat music for scenes that turn out to be pure duds. It's like a character comes and says, 'hey, you've got a dirt on your back'.
Jeng Jeng Jeng.
The other character (the one with the dirt) stares at person A with such shock and disbelief.
And don't forget they have to slow mo at some point. If at a scene which is being shot there are five characters around, the director generously ensures he captures the eye contact between all those characters- each one of them with each other.
By the time the fella realizes he's just got a freaking dirt on his freaking back, you passed a freaking say, 6 minutes? This people are just amazing.
7. Ridiculous dialogues happen in the most ridiculous places. There'll be a court trial and the characters will be pouring their emotions to the judge, or the policeman, or the lawyer. And these people will actually listen, it seems. For god's sake these officials will only ever collect details. Try standing up to one of them that you had some 'avamanam' two days ago. They'll finish writing a verdict by the time by the time you finish narrating an unrelated event. Goodness me.
8. Here's the masterstroke. They want to end the drama for that episode, but they don't know how. What they do, they cut through a lame scene, make one character say a statement of accusation (or it sounds like one), and they put 'to be continued'. Next day, it turns out the whole scene has little significance.
9. It's very educating religiously. They expose the most ridiculous rituals that many would have thought must be banned for their sheer stupidity in the modern world that we are living in now, but they will still show you scenes of a ritual to separate families, and how the families will actually adhere to that rule because it will become 'sami kuttam'.
Why don't they just show 'Amman' rising up and sticking blades in their eyes when they slightly breach any ritual rules? With a serious music this time.
I'll ban dramas from showing scenes that can mislead if I have the authority. But too bad people choose to be ignorant about it.
It's just as bad as a guy accidentally placing 'kungumam' on a girl's forehead and the next thing he knows he has to marry her no matter what. Grrr.
End of the day, I walk out after watching a drama and look for a wall. So that I can bang my head on it. The easy way to attain high blood pressure? Tamil dramas.
Let's get to the bug. We all easily have a laugh at the Tamil TV serials that are being dished out like candies but the day has come when I have to note what makes the world go round here.
Okay, here's a list of things that I have against serials (I can sue them if there's a chance of doing so).
1. Every other cinema actress who fails there take a 'leap of faith' into serials. And she ALWAYS plays the ever-so-goody, exemplary, she loves everybody, she helps everybody, picture perfect woman. Get a life.
2. Oh yeah, all serials are female centered. The leading character is always a woman. Never a man. Male characters are totally incapable of hooking people to the screen for a mind blasting 600 episodes in a row.
3. The lead female is almost always a stand-alone woman at some point- she will live without her husband. She has to do that because she needs to be the strong one, you see? All of them will go through a bit of rocks in their married life. In some cases, the husbands are just plain BAD, you know. Otherwise, it's just sinful isn't it?
4. They waste 5 minutes of each serial with a song. It runs 5 times a week, and that song plays every freaking time. They hire a team of dancers to dance to that, and by the time you get to the story, we are nearly 10 minutes in the time slot. Excellent time-wasting, producers. Be proud.
5. Oh, the easiest job in the world is to write a freaking STORY or even a script for a Tamil drama. It's easy- maybe let's say three scenes for every episode? Rest just leave to the dialogue writer, they know how to stretch even a non-event scene into a cruelly long one.
6. The music composer is the biggest criminal, he places the most thrilling, heart beat music for scenes that turn out to be pure duds. It's like a character comes and says, 'hey, you've got a dirt on your back'.
Jeng Jeng Jeng.
The other character (the one with the dirt) stares at person A with such shock and disbelief.
And don't forget they have to slow mo at some point. If at a scene which is being shot there are five characters around, the director generously ensures he captures the eye contact between all those characters- each one of them with each other.
By the time the fella realizes he's just got a freaking dirt on his freaking back, you passed a freaking say, 6 minutes? This people are just amazing.
7. Ridiculous dialogues happen in the most ridiculous places. There'll be a court trial and the characters will be pouring their emotions to the judge, or the policeman, or the lawyer. And these people will actually listen, it seems. For god's sake these officials will only ever collect details. Try standing up to one of them that you had some 'avamanam' two days ago. They'll finish writing a verdict by the time by the time you finish narrating an unrelated event. Goodness me.
8. Here's the masterstroke. They want to end the drama for that episode, but they don't know how. What they do, they cut through a lame scene, make one character say a statement of accusation (or it sounds like one), and they put 'to be continued'. Next day, it turns out the whole scene has little significance.
9. It's very educating religiously. They expose the most ridiculous rituals that many would have thought must be banned for their sheer stupidity in the modern world that we are living in now, but they will still show you scenes of a ritual to separate families, and how the families will actually adhere to that rule because it will become 'sami kuttam'.
Why don't they just show 'Amman' rising up and sticking blades in their eyes when they slightly breach any ritual rules? With a serious music this time.
I'll ban dramas from showing scenes that can mislead if I have the authority. But too bad people choose to be ignorant about it.
It's just as bad as a guy accidentally placing 'kungumam' on a girl's forehead and the next thing he knows he has to marry her no matter what. Grrr.
End of the day, I walk out after watching a drama and look for a wall. So that I can bang my head on it. The easy way to attain high blood pressure? Tamil dramas.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Inception- Movie Review
Christopher Nolan comes on the back of redefining the Batman series a couple of years back with The Dark Knight, and Leonardo Di Caprio has built a reputation to be an actor of fabulous calibre with the ability to almost always choose the right scripts to participate in despite his relatively young age.
When these two come together, you know that you are in for something extraordinary. With 'Inception', Nolan brings together a mixture of two of his best-written movies- 'Memento' and also the 2006 magical thriller 'The Prestige'. The most telling factor about the film is that the film comes with a concept and theme which is so complex- as it always is when it involves the infinite spectrum of our mind, yet it manages to remain in control and not spiral out to become a self-indulgent psychological thriller as it could have very easily been.
'Inception' is the story of Dom Cobb (Di Caprio), who is an extractor who extracts the deepest memories of individuals by invading their sub conscious mind while putting them in a dream state. Legal problems means that Cobb is always on the run and when a job to extract an information from a Japanese business magnate Saito (Ken Watanabe) goes wrong, Cobb has no choice but to go hiding with a proce place on his head. But Saito traces back Cobb and offers him an interesting proposition- that he'd able to clear all the legal problems that Cobb is facing and allow Cobb to return to his two children- only if Cobb agrees to do an 'inception'- an act of planting an idea in the head of Saito's business rival.
Cobb brings together a group of able assistants, including a dream architect (Ellen Page), to execute the complicated task. However, the recurring presence of Cobb's dead wife Mel (Marion Cotillard) in his dream projections threatens to sabotage the mission, and Cobb has to embrace the disturbing truth and face his own demons in order not to let the memories of his wife haunt him forever. The complicated job carries enormous risks for all involved and Cobb struggles to make it work in order to attain his liberty again.
The first thing that makes Inception work, just like all the other trademark Nolan movies is the screenplay. The movie has a relentless screenplay, with Hans Zimmer's background score being an essential pillar of strength, so much so that you don't feel the pinch of the movie's 148 minutes of running time.
But the catch is- it makes you think. Inception, make no mistakes, is an intelligent movie, and the four-layered dream pattern that forms the climax of the film has to be one of the most complicated action sequences that was ever shot in cinema. You have to pay close attention to all the factors that happen around in the movie in order to really grasp the story of each character and also the logistics and realms of the dreams.
Di Caprio carries the weight of the film on his shoulders and delivers with even a sign of hamming, understating or overdoing it. His calibre as an actor is further reaffirmed with this accomplished, near flawless performance. Inception comes with plenty of CGI and despite the grandeur of images that explore the infinite possibilities that exist within our mind, Di Caprio still carries the emotional weight of the story magnificently, which makes the story more connecting, rather than being just a well-shot dream unique concept.
Ellen Page gives an assured performance in a colorful starcast, and is a real standout. Ken Watanabe also shines in his role as Saito, while Tom Hardy and Joseph Gordon Levitt combine to provide rare moments of laughter throughout the movie. Marion Cotillard is just passable, as her character has the same emotional shade every time it appears, thus having very little to no development (which is the way it is meant to be).
All in all, Nolan once again beats himself to it by pushing the envelope of fine film-making even further. Inception could have become a movie for select audiences with high levels of intelligence, but the film instead threads a fine line between entertainment but at the same time not underestimating the intelligence of its audience. And such an achievement is rare at a time when the movie going public is so often getting divided with recent movies.
And for that, Nolan's got a winner and shows that creativity and popular success can come in the same package.
When these two come together, you know that you are in for something extraordinary. With 'Inception', Nolan brings together a mixture of two of his best-written movies- 'Memento' and also the 2006 magical thriller 'The Prestige'. The most telling factor about the film is that the film comes with a concept and theme which is so complex- as it always is when it involves the infinite spectrum of our mind, yet it manages to remain in control and not spiral out to become a self-indulgent psychological thriller as it could have very easily been.
'Inception' is the story of Dom Cobb (Di Caprio), who is an extractor who extracts the deepest memories of individuals by invading their sub conscious mind while putting them in a dream state. Legal problems means that Cobb is always on the run and when a job to extract an information from a Japanese business magnate Saito (Ken Watanabe) goes wrong, Cobb has no choice but to go hiding with a proce place on his head. But Saito traces back Cobb and offers him an interesting proposition- that he'd able to clear all the legal problems that Cobb is facing and allow Cobb to return to his two children- only if Cobb agrees to do an 'inception'- an act of planting an idea in the head of Saito's business rival.
Cobb brings together a group of able assistants, including a dream architect (Ellen Page), to execute the complicated task. However, the recurring presence of Cobb's dead wife Mel (Marion Cotillard) in his dream projections threatens to sabotage the mission, and Cobb has to embrace the disturbing truth and face his own demons in order not to let the memories of his wife haunt him forever. The complicated job carries enormous risks for all involved and Cobb struggles to make it work in order to attain his liberty again.
The first thing that makes Inception work, just like all the other trademark Nolan movies is the screenplay. The movie has a relentless screenplay, with Hans Zimmer's background score being an essential pillar of strength, so much so that you don't feel the pinch of the movie's 148 minutes of running time.
But the catch is- it makes you think. Inception, make no mistakes, is an intelligent movie, and the four-layered dream pattern that forms the climax of the film has to be one of the most complicated action sequences that was ever shot in cinema. You have to pay close attention to all the factors that happen around in the movie in order to really grasp the story of each character and also the logistics and realms of the dreams.
Di Caprio carries the weight of the film on his shoulders and delivers with even a sign of hamming, understating or overdoing it. His calibre as an actor is further reaffirmed with this accomplished, near flawless performance. Inception comes with plenty of CGI and despite the grandeur of images that explore the infinite possibilities that exist within our mind, Di Caprio still carries the emotional weight of the story magnificently, which makes the story more connecting, rather than being just a well-shot dream unique concept.
Ellen Page gives an assured performance in a colorful starcast, and is a real standout. Ken Watanabe also shines in his role as Saito, while Tom Hardy and Joseph Gordon Levitt combine to provide rare moments of laughter throughout the movie. Marion Cotillard is just passable, as her character has the same emotional shade every time it appears, thus having very little to no development (which is the way it is meant to be).
All in all, Nolan once again beats himself to it by pushing the envelope of fine film-making even further. Inception could have become a movie for select audiences with high levels of intelligence, but the film instead threads a fine line between entertainment but at the same time not underestimating the intelligence of its audience. And such an achievement is rare at a time when the movie going public is so often getting divided with recent movies.
And for that, Nolan's got a winner and shows that creativity and popular success can come in the same package.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
The death of Samaritans
When my Arabian Scicom trainer told me he preferred the kind of privacy he has gained since coming to Malaysia in comparison to the overtly-concerned Arabians back in his country, I couldn't but to help but raise an eyebrow.
I'll take a love nuisance any day over ignorance. Wouldn't we all? Ask the Malaysians, the pure Malaysians who have actually lived all these years outside their comfort zone, and have actually been faced with situations which left them lurching for help from somewhere.
One thing is for sure- the so-called 'privacy' mentioned before is not something that we Malaysians can smile about, nor to be even proud of. Most importantly- it's about time the alarm bells rang for us- it's nothing to be ignorant about as well- at least not anymore.
Ignorance ain't a bliss anymore.
Not when a couple of lazy petrol bunk assistants have become so disilluioned that their buts would have teared off if they had carried a fire extinguisher and passed it off to a hoillering Samaritan whose nerves are wrangling out for a girl literally burning to death inside a car.
Listen to a piece of that story and immediately the image of two lazy, or if could even mention, utterly stupid guys looking out as if they can't comprehend a a simple call for help, the simple urge of an accident, or above all, the rocking value of a life strikes across your mind. Then you think, would they be just as blurred when they are trapped in a car with the petrol leaking and they know they are burning to death?
The kind of ignorance that we have stamped on ourselves have become so overwhelming that we have accustomed to turn a blind eye to so many things- things that even decides life or death. Like when I was lying on a road drenched in serious wounds and found out that passers-by who apparently have no urgent work to attend to would rather wait for me to clear the road myself rather than helping me up.
Here's a fact we have to embrace- beneath the face of the elegant, ever-growing with tall buildings man that we have epitomized ourselves with over the years- there lies an ugly truth.
The man is actually a lazy, ignorant one. If over the years the individual determination of that man's cells helped him rise up taller than some of his counterparts and build a respectable image for himself, the lazy, one dimensional, selfish natures of his cells will eventually spell the ruins of the very man. The cells which built him had lost their original vision, and are now drifting, many colliding with each other in their destinations.
The man is now short-sighted and one dimensional at the core. It'll be only a matter of time before it eats into his entire body.
Will the cells change? At least don't let someone die when you can afford to prevent it while seating at your very comfort zone.
And the one who dies wasn't a hapless young lady, but the one the two attendants actually murdered was the little left off from the good nature of Malaysians. Next time a Samaritan wakes up, he might think twice. And what will be the consequences of that Samaritan thinking twice?
I'll take a love nuisance any day over ignorance. Wouldn't we all? Ask the Malaysians, the pure Malaysians who have actually lived all these years outside their comfort zone, and have actually been faced with situations which left them lurching for help from somewhere.
One thing is for sure- the so-called 'privacy' mentioned before is not something that we Malaysians can smile about, nor to be even proud of. Most importantly- it's about time the alarm bells rang for us- it's nothing to be ignorant about as well- at least not anymore.
Ignorance ain't a bliss anymore.
Not when a couple of lazy petrol bunk assistants have become so disilluioned that their buts would have teared off if they had carried a fire extinguisher and passed it off to a hoillering Samaritan whose nerves are wrangling out for a girl literally burning to death inside a car.
Listen to a piece of that story and immediately the image of two lazy, or if could even mention, utterly stupid guys looking out as if they can't comprehend a a simple call for help, the simple urge of an accident, or above all, the rocking value of a life strikes across your mind. Then you think, would they be just as blurred when they are trapped in a car with the petrol leaking and they know they are burning to death?
The kind of ignorance that we have stamped on ourselves have become so overwhelming that we have accustomed to turn a blind eye to so many things- things that even decides life or death. Like when I was lying on a road drenched in serious wounds and found out that passers-by who apparently have no urgent work to attend to would rather wait for me to clear the road myself rather than helping me up.
Here's a fact we have to embrace- beneath the face of the elegant, ever-growing with tall buildings man that we have epitomized ourselves with over the years- there lies an ugly truth.
The man is actually a lazy, ignorant one. If over the years the individual determination of that man's cells helped him rise up taller than some of his counterparts and build a respectable image for himself, the lazy, one dimensional, selfish natures of his cells will eventually spell the ruins of the very man. The cells which built him had lost their original vision, and are now drifting, many colliding with each other in their destinations.
The man is now short-sighted and one dimensional at the core. It'll be only a matter of time before it eats into his entire body.
Will the cells change? At least don't let someone die when you can afford to prevent it while seating at your very comfort zone.
And the one who dies wasn't a hapless young lady, but the one the two attendants actually murdered was the little left off from the good nature of Malaysians. Next time a Samaritan wakes up, he might think twice. And what will be the consequences of that Samaritan thinking twice?
R.I.P
Thursday, July 8, 2010
The warrior will be alright.
It’s dusk. The sun sets solemnly across the horizon- the warrior loves dusk. He has always felt that the spates of colors strewn across the sky at dusk leave behind a flicker that the eyes will never feast upon at any other time of the day. He sat at the nearby branch, a sole stricken one in the middle of an unknown desert, and he looked up towards the sun. The cloudy horizon have made the sun hardly visible to the naked eye. A faint light shimmering beyond the thin veil of clouds, that was all his eyes could muster to witness at the time.
The thin haze that has been coating the horizons around the place on a consistent basis had also deprived the warrior of his most cherished view- a peek towards the top of the mountain- bright and glistening. Every time he witnesses that peak, he feels like he does belong to that peak, to reach there one day has been etched in his destiny.
But now, there is no dusk, no mountain. All that exists was him, the desert, and the village, a village which he had long assumed would be an useful pit stop in order for him to reach his dreams. The warrior did not like it the moment he arrived in this village- where everyone worked very hard in premeditated routines in order to win the breads to survive the day. The warrior wasn’t an exception in this- he wasn’t given a prince treatment- he had to work to win his bread- for he has to wait until the clouds clear and the sun can rise up confidently and unleash its ray on earth without any barriers again.
Now, as the warrior lay against the sole broken branch in the middle of a dry desert on which the village is located, he feels exhausted, tired, dread. The everyday routine at the village had had its taxes on his energy and enthusiasm. His resources are drained by the end of the day, and he couldn’t have his daily glance beyond the horizons to look at the peak of the mountains that he wishes to conquer one day.
What is happening to his life? Where have his dreams brought him to? Why is the haze so thick he can’t see his destination? He abandoned a kingdom of comfort, security, all to secure the reality of this one dream- he travelled through ages of uncertainty about where his destination would lie, spent so many years of the journey travelling all alone- but as long as he was on the move, when he had his evenings by the crystal clear lake, or under an autumn tree drooping with gorgeous brown leaves, practicing the art of swinging and slinging his sword, as his horse fed on the natural leaves at every stop he pauses at, looking at her master in awe and loyalty.
Today, the sword rusts in the little camp, in which the warrior retires every night- and the warrior shoots the sword a glancing, solemn look, wondering when the time will come for him to ride off into the sunset again, the sword piercing elegantly across his back. His horse waits tied outside the camp, feeding on the same grass everyday, entitled to the same routine the warrior is being subjected to.
The warrior sits and contemplates, wishes he is on the move rather than remaining here- but this is the pit stop he needs to take in order to reach the peak of the mountain. He is made to be on the move, not to rut in a rust. He is made to conquer that peak, not to sit idle doing regular work.
But then he thinks of that sunny day where, when the warrior did not know which direction he should take to reach the mountains which seemed so distant away- when a saint appeared while the warrior was walking on a bed of tulips holding hands with his princess.
The saint pointed in this direction- on the first morning in which the princess held his hand- the direction of this small village; that the warrior should start a life there, and that’s where his journey would have its starting point. The warrior knew there and then, that it was a sign, for he was holding the princess’ hands when the saint looked down from the high hills and pointed his ageing stick in this village’s direction. Upon which the princess gave him a warm smile- so wide it made his insides tingle with joy and warmth.
The warrior walked deeper into his tent, wondering about the crossroads and uncertainty he is facing in his life. Every warrior has to trudge a path of mud in order to be worthy champions. This is his alley of mud. An alley where he can lose all that he is- where he has to hold on tight in order to retain his will, passion and dreams. That is his test.
The pain is true, the discomfort is true, the itchy feet is true, the difficulty is true. But the warrior has accepted it- come to terms with it. This is what will make him a worthy champion.
But as he lies down his head gently on the princess’ shoulders with her brimming smile still there, he knows for a fact- it’ll be alright.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Raavan- Movie Review
Do we judge the qualities of our lives and that of our own self with a contrast as simple as black and white, good or bad? That is what Mani Ratnam had tried to bring out with his densely shot 'Raavan'. It took Mani and his team a grueling three years to complete this flick, which says alot about the kind of effort it took to shoot the movie in the dense forests of Madya Pradesh.
First of all, Raavan is one of those movies that can't be compared with Mani's previous works. Some may claim it is not on par with his other movies, while some may claim it is as good as any. Admittedly Mani's best movie to date, Iruvar, had a similar response during its initial release before it picked up steam and played to the gallery of classics around a decade later. Raavan might fall in the same mould- few years from now, it'll be seen as a classic.
Mani seems to cut loose whatever is left of the thin veil of ropes that tied him from fully expressing his ideas in his previous movies, and he executes Raavan with a newfound freedom- thus pushing the envelope further as far as the qualities of his own movies go. We all saw what happened when Mani went bold in Iruvar- the movie collapsed on a commercial structure, and like someone who failed in a first real jump, Mani was very subtle in the movies that he made after 'Iruvar', and it took him some time to attempt something with complete boldness again- and by some time I mean 13 years. Because it's only in Raavan that he rediscovers that touch.
Even Iruvar wasn't a perfect movie, but it was classic- so much to the extent that even the unanswered grey aspects of the movie, the hanging threads, and the flaws have come to be accepted to be part of what makes the movie even greater- and Raavan's imperfections might work the same way, they will dissolve as time passes by- and the movie will be accepted as one to be remembered for a long time to come.
To begin with the story- Beera (Abhishek) is another one of Mani's Nayakan moulded character. A man who stands firmly at the wrong side of the law, but not necessarily at the wrong side of life on a larger scale. He is at logger heads with Dev (Vikram), a ruthless local policemen who is hell bent in killing Beera, and thus erasing the image of a lawbreaker ruling the roosts in the rustic rural area of Lal Maati. Once Dev and his fellow policemen contribute heavily to the ill-fated death of Jamuniya (Priyamani)- Beera's stepsister, Beera goes out for revenge. He savages few of Dev's colleagues, and abducts Ragini (Aishwarya Rai), Dev's apple of the eye. Beera vows to kill Ragini within 14 hours of abduction to avenge for his sister, but when Ragini's lack of fear strikes him like a bolt of thunder, Beera retracts from the stance and instead keeps her alive- an act that would set a motion of unprecedented events and upturn of emotions leading to an emotional and poetic climax.
Abhishek Bachchan without doubt is Mani's personal favorite, and Beera was tailor made for him. He plays the character with such effervescence that his facial expressions alone are sufficient to deliver the kind of emotional turmoil he goes through when he starts falling in love with Ragini. He gives a weak look full of love at one glimpse of his vulnerable moment, and at the very next, he returns to his sadistic smile that is his trademark. He comes across as a good-hearted character who shouts out loud to the world that he is indeed a ten-headed Raavan, and a devil in order to hide his own soft side. You start by despising Beera's madness, slowly get intrigued by the layers of emotions he has within himself, and you start adoring him towards the end of the movie. On another day and at the hands of a lesser actor, the character Beera can easily come across as just being a pure psycho, but Abhi prevents that with great deliverance. Every little detail of his performance is polished put exceptionally, so much so that when he finally strings together a dialogue to express himself, no matter how short or incomplete, you'd know what he was actually saying. This is Abhi's best career performance to date, and betters even Guru in many aspects.
Aishwarya Rai never lost an ounce of elegance even after all those years, she looks genuinely charming even in the scenes where she is thrashing about in torn clothes with dirt smearing all over her body. And her performance is no less elegant as well. She stands out well in the plethora of visually poetic scenes between Abhi and her, and yet she stands her ground, and makes the duel and the battle of eyes even more interesting. She is convincing in the latter half when she is torn by her blossoming care for Raavan and also her existing love for Dev, as the two men seem to be heading on a collision course- she struggles to differentiate black and white anymore, which is what the film is all about. In short, Mani tells us the story through Ash's bewildered eyes- the entire darkness and gray shades about it.
Vikram is convincing as the ruthless policeman, and also manages to bring out well the demonic obsession that consumes him towards the end of the movie, when he was killing people at the snap of a finger just to get Beera. His need to get Beera weighs over his need to find Ragini, the kind of obsession not associated with a typified 'good guy'. As Raavan shows love and care for the woman, Dev shows more thirst for blood that tends to be justified by his khaki uniform. The gray shades of Dev were so effortlessly brought forward by the National-award winner.
Priyamani leaves a lasting impact despite her brief appearance, and manages to evoke sympathy for her ill-fated character- a good cameo to get herself introduced in Bollywood. Govinda is underutilized, but manages to evoke humor in the eariler scenes that he was part of- as the story focused more on Beera's side of things.
Technically the film is too good, in one word. Santosh Sivan returns to wield the camera for the larger part of the movie, for the first time since 'Dil Se', and his camerawork is simply mindblowing, not to take any credit away from V.Mani Kandan, who was also the joint cinematographer. The denseness of the jungle, and the depth of the river are simple natural settings, but the way the shots are composed makes this one of the most, if not the most visually poetic movie ever made in Indian cinema. Scenes between Abhi and Ash especially deserve special mention- the shots used for the song 'Behene De' steals your breath away. Mani stays true to his common principles of using natural lights for his films and it is evident again in Raavan.
Kudos should go to every member of the production team for executing the film with such a natural look in such a difficult location- every actor is made to work and go through genuine physical barriers to enact their roles, as it is evident in the movie.
AR Rahman's music as usual carries the film forward almost single handedly at times. There is a variation of music for every different setting, for every different mood, and what tops it all is ARR's own slow humming song 'Uduja' that is used heavily during the climax, bringing out the exact emotional content of the moments.
'Thok De Killi', 'Khilli Re' and 'Kata Kata' carry Mani's usual trademark of songs being executed exceptionally well, as the choreography of all three songs captivates a great deal.
Mani excels in writing the couple of plot twists in the lead up to the climax, and perhaps his biggest achievement would be that despite the plot twist, he doesn't lose the core emotional content that sets the film running. Mani may have not written the dialogues himself, but staying true to his trademark of minimal dialogue usage, the dialogues are great whenever delivered, especially around the climax and the emotional scenes between Ash and Abhi. Vijay Krishna Acharya lost so much credibility after his Tashan flopped that he was sacked from Yash Raj Productions, but with his dialogues for Raavan alone, has attained himself from credibility again, as it looks like he is still Mani's trusted ally in that particular department.
All in all, Raavan has its flaws and unfinished threads- but it is by no means a cumbersome movie- in fact it is a classic for that very reason- the film ends like an open ended question, a question that reverts back to the audiences, to pick up the pieces and find the Ram and Raavan within their own selfs as they makes their way home. Some might say this movie is not for everyone- it is in fact for everyone. But some might find it hard to stomach or dismiss it. But give it sometime and it'll grow back on you.
Mani Ratnam is a gem for the Indian film industry. And with a great deal of help from his actors and technical team, he proves that once again with Raavan.
A couple of cheers and now the wait begins for the next Mani Ratnam film. :)
Rating: 9/10
p.s.- don't listen to the critics. They don't make movies. Mani Ratnam does.
Taran Ardash, please humbly quit reviewing movies.
First of all, Raavan is one of those movies that can't be compared with Mani's previous works. Some may claim it is not on par with his other movies, while some may claim it is as good as any. Admittedly Mani's best movie to date, Iruvar, had a similar response during its initial release before it picked up steam and played to the gallery of classics around a decade later. Raavan might fall in the same mould- few years from now, it'll be seen as a classic.
Mani seems to cut loose whatever is left of the thin veil of ropes that tied him from fully expressing his ideas in his previous movies, and he executes Raavan with a newfound freedom- thus pushing the envelope further as far as the qualities of his own movies go. We all saw what happened when Mani went bold in Iruvar- the movie collapsed on a commercial structure, and like someone who failed in a first real jump, Mani was very subtle in the movies that he made after 'Iruvar', and it took him some time to attempt something with complete boldness again- and by some time I mean 13 years. Because it's only in Raavan that he rediscovers that touch.
Even Iruvar wasn't a perfect movie, but it was classic- so much to the extent that even the unanswered grey aspects of the movie, the hanging threads, and the flaws have come to be accepted to be part of what makes the movie even greater- and Raavan's imperfections might work the same way, they will dissolve as time passes by- and the movie will be accepted as one to be remembered for a long time to come.
To begin with the story- Beera (Abhishek) is another one of Mani's Nayakan moulded character. A man who stands firmly at the wrong side of the law, but not necessarily at the wrong side of life on a larger scale. He is at logger heads with Dev (Vikram), a ruthless local policemen who is hell bent in killing Beera, and thus erasing the image of a lawbreaker ruling the roosts in the rustic rural area of Lal Maati. Once Dev and his fellow policemen contribute heavily to the ill-fated death of Jamuniya (Priyamani)- Beera's stepsister, Beera goes out for revenge. He savages few of Dev's colleagues, and abducts Ragini (Aishwarya Rai), Dev's apple of the eye. Beera vows to kill Ragini within 14 hours of abduction to avenge for his sister, but when Ragini's lack of fear strikes him like a bolt of thunder, Beera retracts from the stance and instead keeps her alive- an act that would set a motion of unprecedented events and upturn of emotions leading to an emotional and poetic climax.
Abhishek Bachchan without doubt is Mani's personal favorite, and Beera was tailor made for him. He plays the character with such effervescence that his facial expressions alone are sufficient to deliver the kind of emotional turmoil he goes through when he starts falling in love with Ragini. He gives a weak look full of love at one glimpse of his vulnerable moment, and at the very next, he returns to his sadistic smile that is his trademark. He comes across as a good-hearted character who shouts out loud to the world that he is indeed a ten-headed Raavan, and a devil in order to hide his own soft side. You start by despising Beera's madness, slowly get intrigued by the layers of emotions he has within himself, and you start adoring him towards the end of the movie. On another day and at the hands of a lesser actor, the character Beera can easily come across as just being a pure psycho, but Abhi prevents that with great deliverance. Every little detail of his performance is polished put exceptionally, so much so that when he finally strings together a dialogue to express himself, no matter how short or incomplete, you'd know what he was actually saying. This is Abhi's best career performance to date, and betters even Guru in many aspects.
Aishwarya Rai never lost an ounce of elegance even after all those years, she looks genuinely charming even in the scenes where she is thrashing about in torn clothes with dirt smearing all over her body. And her performance is no less elegant as well. She stands out well in the plethora of visually poetic scenes between Abhi and her, and yet she stands her ground, and makes the duel and the battle of eyes even more interesting. She is convincing in the latter half when she is torn by her blossoming care for Raavan and also her existing love for Dev, as the two men seem to be heading on a collision course- she struggles to differentiate black and white anymore, which is what the film is all about. In short, Mani tells us the story through Ash's bewildered eyes- the entire darkness and gray shades about it.
Vikram is convincing as the ruthless policeman, and also manages to bring out well the demonic obsession that consumes him towards the end of the movie, when he was killing people at the snap of a finger just to get Beera. His need to get Beera weighs over his need to find Ragini, the kind of obsession not associated with a typified 'good guy'. As Raavan shows love and care for the woman, Dev shows more thirst for blood that tends to be justified by his khaki uniform. The gray shades of Dev were so effortlessly brought forward by the National-award winner.
Priyamani leaves a lasting impact despite her brief appearance, and manages to evoke sympathy for her ill-fated character- a good cameo to get herself introduced in Bollywood. Govinda is underutilized, but manages to evoke humor in the eariler scenes that he was part of- as the story focused more on Beera's side of things.
Technically the film is too good, in one word. Santosh Sivan returns to wield the camera for the larger part of the movie, for the first time since 'Dil Se', and his camerawork is simply mindblowing, not to take any credit away from V.Mani Kandan, who was also the joint cinematographer. The denseness of the jungle, and the depth of the river are simple natural settings, but the way the shots are composed makes this one of the most, if not the most visually poetic movie ever made in Indian cinema. Scenes between Abhi and Ash especially deserve special mention- the shots used for the song 'Behene De' steals your breath away. Mani stays true to his common principles of using natural lights for his films and it is evident again in Raavan.
Kudos should go to every member of the production team for executing the film with such a natural look in such a difficult location- every actor is made to work and go through genuine physical barriers to enact their roles, as it is evident in the movie.
AR Rahman's music as usual carries the film forward almost single handedly at times. There is a variation of music for every different setting, for every different mood, and what tops it all is ARR's own slow humming song 'Uduja' that is used heavily during the climax, bringing out the exact emotional content of the moments.
'Thok De Killi', 'Khilli Re' and 'Kata Kata' carry Mani's usual trademark of songs being executed exceptionally well, as the choreography of all three songs captivates a great deal.
Mani excels in writing the couple of plot twists in the lead up to the climax, and perhaps his biggest achievement would be that despite the plot twist, he doesn't lose the core emotional content that sets the film running. Mani may have not written the dialogues himself, but staying true to his trademark of minimal dialogue usage, the dialogues are great whenever delivered, especially around the climax and the emotional scenes between Ash and Abhi. Vijay Krishna Acharya lost so much credibility after his Tashan flopped that he was sacked from Yash Raj Productions, but with his dialogues for Raavan alone, has attained himself from credibility again, as it looks like he is still Mani's trusted ally in that particular department.
All in all, Raavan has its flaws and unfinished threads- but it is by no means a cumbersome movie- in fact it is a classic for that very reason- the film ends like an open ended question, a question that reverts back to the audiences, to pick up the pieces and find the Ram and Raavan within their own selfs as they makes their way home. Some might say this movie is not for everyone- it is in fact for everyone. But some might find it hard to stomach or dismiss it. But give it sometime and it'll grow back on you.
Mani Ratnam is a gem for the Indian film industry. And with a great deal of help from his actors and technical team, he proves that once again with Raavan.
A couple of cheers and now the wait begins for the next Mani Ratnam film. :)
Rating: 9/10
p.s.- don't listen to the critics. They don't make movies. Mani Ratnam does.
Taran Ardash, please humbly quit reviewing movies.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
The new rainbow
The warrior once sat down bespectacled, wondering if at all he will attain what he desired. What he wanted. He is still making that journey, but the perennial doubts keep visiting him, throwing him into a whirlwind of uncertainty. Is this a battle that he has to fight alone? Will it be a futile one? Is he making a journey in which the destination will never materialize?
Word of wisdom had drained his ears. Some wise man had once told him that when you want something so badly, the whole universe will conspire to make you achieve it. The warrior knew for sure that his destination is not even remotely close yet- the only way to continue is to keep going despite all the uncertainties riddled in his mind- that's when he had realized that what he was actually looking for is a shoulder to lean on, somebody who could accompany him in this bewildering, taxing journey. The warrior knew that he had had been looking for this person for a long time, hoping someday she would come in his line of sight, but now the thought of whether she ever existed was needling him.
And then the warrior realized he had someone to pick him up from his troubles all along. A companion who has always been there to help him through a hard times, a woman adorned with qualities that he has been looking for all along- but how did he not realize it? Now that woman rides with him through that journey, and the warrior does not fear falling or being defeated. For he knows she will be there to hold him up in good stead. The lack of soldiers had once been his greatest concern, but now he know he wasn't actually looking for soldiers, but instead looking for someone like her- he was looking for the most magical word of all- love.
And they say love can conquer mountains. The warrior still has to climb up the mountains himself, but facing demons doesn't seem like an ardous task anymore- if anything, love conquers fears and uncertainties.
The warrior once reached an edge of the mountain which looked like a dead end, he could not see a way put or a way further up from it. All he saw was a small path that was heading nowhere, he took it, and the only thing that rang in his mind was the same adage that he has so blindly followed for six years- when you want something so badly, the universe will conspire to make you achieve it. Next thing the warrior knew, he was climbing a difficult slope, but at the end of that slope, he realized that he had taken a step closer to the peak of the mountain he wants to conquer. He looked down back, and realized how impossible an task it was, and yet he did not heed to the difficulty at all. The wind of the mountain seem to be telling him that he has embarked on a new phase in his journey.
Few days later, the warrior had made a new group of friends, a pack of travelers as well to different destinations-- they were all at an altitude where they were exhausted and have not feasted for a long time. Word has it that somewhere around the mountain, a feast has been prepared for them. There's plenty of food still left around the place, little scraps of bread here and there, on which they have been feeding on for some time. But they felt it was time for some feast, but to find the feast there is a price to pay. They to abandon their breads behind as the luggage would prove to be too heavy, and with starvation already visiting them, they made the journey. The warrior once again remembered that old adage that the wise old man had told him once- and after a seeming futile journey that reduced all of them into a state of weakness, they were starring at a faint light inside a dark cave. As they sauntered inside, they were shocked to find that they were starring at the feast that they were looking for. They found plenty of offerings on the way, that of breads and mountain guards and old men discouraging them from their ridiculous urge to find the feast. For reasons they themselves could not explain, they were adamant on finding the feast, and at a time when the exhaustion had totally caught up with them, they found the place.
And when the warrior had his feast and walked back outside of the cave to a bright sunshine greeting, he realized the adage wasn't a blind one. When you want something so badly, you do eventually attain it. And he also realized something else- that the journey might be grueling, but it will never be futile- just when you thought your energy has been drained out, the desire will materialize, the dream will come true. The universe will conspire to give it to you when you least expected it- and when you do get it, you will realize that the tools to reach the destination has been lying around you all along- the journey is about attaining that wisdom to be able to look at things differently, and when you reach that stage, you shall be able to look around you and find the hidden treasures that were meant for you.
Today, the warrior has love- which he once though was an endless search. And with the universe seemingly ready to give him everything he pursues without an iota of fear, with only faith and hope in his heart- he looks up at the peak and smiles. He knows he will get there too. But there's no rush. He will enjoy the journey with love, faith and hope. He has abandoned fear at the foot of the mountains.
And he walked on.
Word of wisdom had drained his ears. Some wise man had once told him that when you want something so badly, the whole universe will conspire to make you achieve it. The warrior knew for sure that his destination is not even remotely close yet- the only way to continue is to keep going despite all the uncertainties riddled in his mind- that's when he had realized that what he was actually looking for is a shoulder to lean on, somebody who could accompany him in this bewildering, taxing journey. The warrior knew that he had had been looking for this person for a long time, hoping someday she would come in his line of sight, but now the thought of whether she ever existed was needling him.
And then the warrior realized he had someone to pick him up from his troubles all along. A companion who has always been there to help him through a hard times, a woman adorned with qualities that he has been looking for all along- but how did he not realize it? Now that woman rides with him through that journey, and the warrior does not fear falling or being defeated. For he knows she will be there to hold him up in good stead. The lack of soldiers had once been his greatest concern, but now he know he wasn't actually looking for soldiers, but instead looking for someone like her- he was looking for the most magical word of all- love.
And they say love can conquer mountains. The warrior still has to climb up the mountains himself, but facing demons doesn't seem like an ardous task anymore- if anything, love conquers fears and uncertainties.
The warrior once reached an edge of the mountain which looked like a dead end, he could not see a way put or a way further up from it. All he saw was a small path that was heading nowhere, he took it, and the only thing that rang in his mind was the same adage that he has so blindly followed for six years- when you want something so badly, the universe will conspire to make you achieve it. Next thing the warrior knew, he was climbing a difficult slope, but at the end of that slope, he realized that he had taken a step closer to the peak of the mountain he wants to conquer. He looked down back, and realized how impossible an task it was, and yet he did not heed to the difficulty at all. The wind of the mountain seem to be telling him that he has embarked on a new phase in his journey.
Few days later, the warrior had made a new group of friends, a pack of travelers as well to different destinations-- they were all at an altitude where they were exhausted and have not feasted for a long time. Word has it that somewhere around the mountain, a feast has been prepared for them. There's plenty of food still left around the place, little scraps of bread here and there, on which they have been feeding on for some time. But they felt it was time for some feast, but to find the feast there is a price to pay. They to abandon their breads behind as the luggage would prove to be too heavy, and with starvation already visiting them, they made the journey. The warrior once again remembered that old adage that the wise old man had told him once- and after a seeming futile journey that reduced all of them into a state of weakness, they were starring at a faint light inside a dark cave. As they sauntered inside, they were shocked to find that they were starring at the feast that they were looking for. They found plenty of offerings on the way, that of breads and mountain guards and old men discouraging them from their ridiculous urge to find the feast. For reasons they themselves could not explain, they were adamant on finding the feast, and at a time when the exhaustion had totally caught up with them, they found the place.
And when the warrior had his feast and walked back outside of the cave to a bright sunshine greeting, he realized the adage wasn't a blind one. When you want something so badly, you do eventually attain it. And he also realized something else- that the journey might be grueling, but it will never be futile- just when you thought your energy has been drained out, the desire will materialize, the dream will come true. The universe will conspire to give it to you when you least expected it- and when you do get it, you will realize that the tools to reach the destination has been lying around you all along- the journey is about attaining that wisdom to be able to look at things differently, and when you reach that stage, you shall be able to look around you and find the hidden treasures that were meant for you.
Today, the warrior has love- which he once though was an endless search. And with the universe seemingly ready to give him everything he pursues without an iota of fear, with only faith and hope in his heart- he looks up at the peak and smiles. He knows he will get there too. But there's no rush. He will enjoy the journey with love, faith and hope. He has abandoned fear at the foot of the mountains.
And he walked on.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Raavanan- Music Review
Mani Ratnam and AR Rahman are probably two names that the industry most desperately want to see come together- there is never a bad time for both of them to come up with an album on all respects. The music of Raavan was already creating ripples in the Bollywood arena, now it is time for ARR-Mani to grace Kollywood for the first time in almost six years (let’s discount a dubbed version of Guru out of the way).
Though it turns out hard enough to judge one version over the other, the Tamil, for one, doesn’t come across as even remotely inferior to the Hindi version- probably a repeat of the 2004 scenario, when the music of Aayitha Ezhuttu were more at home compared to the Hindi Yuva. More at home? That seems to be the case with at least few of the songs, while others seem to have fitted the Hindi version better.
Veera Veera (Vijay Prakash, Keerthi Sagathia)
The opening song of the album which has already become a catchy sensation in Bollywood, Veera retains the same tune, beat and length. The lyrics are uncharacteristic of a Mani movie for a start, probably a clear indication that the number was composed originally for the Hindi version. A change of singers was made clearly to fit a more southern environment, and lyrics which exude reference to Ram and Raavan makes it intriguing nevertheless, even though words such as ‘Veera’, ‘Sura’, and ‘Kala’ seems a little over the top. A good number but not great.
Usure Pogudhey (Karthik)
Forums and listeners were full of ‘Behene De’ when it came out last week, many comparing it to the same breath as ‘Satrangi Re’ from ‘Dil Se’. Usure Pogudhey meanwhile seems to go even a notch higher than the already famous and highly appreciated Behene De. This has the potential to be another sparkling song to add to Karthik’s CV, which he sings with such panache that all the infusing passion is almost tangible. Vairamuthu’s lyrics are spot on, bringing out a distinct rural feel about them (which is where the movie is set). Karthik alone carries the song on his shoulders and his modulation and timely stressing at certain stanzas and certain words makes this one of the quality compositions to have come out from the Rahman stable in recent times. Two thumbs up.
Kodu Potta (Benny Dayal)
Though ‘Thok de Killi’ sounded decent in the Hindi version, it got monotonous after some time with Sukhwinder Singh’s singing keeping the song with the same tone variation throughout. However, with Rahman’s own favorite Benny Dayal crooning here, Kodu Potta sounds more unique and pleasant. Once again, lyrics that represent a rustic rural environment prevail and even the tune seems to have been tailor-made to suit a southern environment. Combined with synthesized Arabian sounds, Kodu Potta is a good number.
Kaatu Sirrukki (Shankar Mahadevan, Anuradha Sriram)
Talk about using the same tone and composing a number which would fit a rural Bollywood setting and also a rural southern setting, no one does it better than Rahman. Ranjha Ranjha was an instant hit when it came out last week, and although Kaatu Sirrukki takes a little longer to grow on you, it eventually strikes a chord and looks every bit like a hit that will stay there for an awfully long time. Look out for Anuradha Sriram’s unique voice modulation at different parts of the song, singing again under ARR after such a long absence from his albums. Shankar Mahadevan infuses more life to the song than Javed Ali did to the Hindi version, proving once again that his experience definitely counts for something. Another quality composition. Whether it will become an instant market hit remains to be seen, but any music enthusiast would never deny that this is one composition off the top shelf.
Kalvare (Shreya Ghosal)
The lone classical number of the album, that should immediately appeal to those who love to listen to such classical, almost pure compositions. Rahman opted for Shreya Ghosal for the Tamil version and she seems to be able to bring out more emotions and more variation here than the Hindi version ‘Khilli Re’.
Keedaikari (Benny Dayal, Tanvi, Reyhana)
Just like in ‘Kaatu Sirrukki’, ARR tweaks masterfully to make ‘Kedaikarri’ sound just as southern, original and catchy as the Hindi version ‘Kata Kata’. Understandably, Bollywood wedding songs have the tendency to run at a higher tempo and for that very reason, the Hindi version sounded extremely catchy. Should the same tempo retained in the Tamil version, it might have looked a little out of the place, but ARR’s tweaks works the song wonderfully, sounding as refreshing as ‘Kummi Adi’ from ‘Jillendru Oru Kadhal’.
All in all, AR Rahman and Mnai Ratnam have definitely not disappointed, with the Tamil version of the Raavan album not sounding even an inch like it is a translated version of Raavan in Hindi, but instead sounding just as fresh and infusing as the Hindi version sounded, and even in certain parts, better and more variated, and ultimately sounding more like at home. Maybe because this is home. Mani Ratnam’s home. And also Rahman’s. And no composition elsewhere can better the ones they are able to produce in Tamil (for an original film that is).
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Curtains raise...let the ten-headed evil mind come...
Raavan has come, riding with it expectations as heavy as anything, yielding his ten heads and ten minds on a horseback. Two names is enough to make you swirl around with expectations at this album- Mani Ratnam and AR Rahman.
Without giving verdicts, I'll get straight to scrutinizing all the songs.
Beera Beera
Obviously an introduction song for the main character in this movie- Abhishek's Raavan. Set against the backdrop of a rural area, the song has an unique mixture of African and Indian folk, and the result is just as good as any. AR Rahman hits the notes right once again to bring out the entire environment and a glimpse peering into Raavan's characterization. The song oozes with energy, and celebrates Raavan to the tilt. Vijay Prakash has become such a favorite of Rahman's that he is being used in all colors of songs by Rahman in recent times, coming in the back of the super-melodious 'Hosanna' in VTV, he's here stretching his vocals for 'Beera', accompanied by Mustafa Kutoane.
Now you are in the vehicle, you know the atmosphere, a solid start to the album.
Ranjha Ranjha
Don't expect a Tere Bina in Raavan. Obviously Ratnam has set the tone for all of Raavan's songs to fit a more situational frame, in flow with the entire narrative structure; and Ranjha epitomizes that perfectly. Rekha Bhardwaj dominates with her impeccable rendering, and once again ARR throws in a surprise with Javed Ali sounding unconventional supporting the vocals.
This song too brings out the vague smell of the terrains of the more rural areas in Madya Pradesh, which is where the film is mostly set in. Full of life and full of environment (atypical of ARR), Ranjha is just as pleasing.
And we go on knowing its getting better.
Tonk De Killi
Look for the name Sukhwinder Singh, and you'd know what to expect right away. The song is absolutely high on spirits, the sounds and beats staying with the environment of the album so far. Nothing too spectacular, but good nevertheless, but might end up looking as exquisite as anything on the screen. Earmarked.
Khilli Re
If I had not mentioned it so far, Aishwarya Rai plays a singing tutor in this movie, and this song definitely has something to do with that fact. For some reason reminds me of Thalapathy's Yamunai Aatrile. Minimal instruments, mainly classical, with the full scope given for Reena Bhardwaj to take centre stage and deliver the best of her vocal capacities.
Breezy.
Kata Kata
Remember 'Rukumani Rukumani' from Roja? Mani and ARR revisit among their first ever hits together with Kata Kata, which is also a song about a newly married couple, but the beats is even more livelier, and seems to go one better than the classic hit 18 years ago.
Just like 'Beera', the orchestration is heavy and vociferous, and ARR even interludes at some points. Listen to it a couple of times, and you are tapping your feet at the really catchy beats- ranking right beside Alaipayuthey's 'Yaro Yarodi' in terms of overall impact.
Very Good.
Behene De
A killer of a song. Karthik is sensational once again in this situational song that definitely to be used as an all-important number to move the story. Infused with such passion and deliverance of atmosphere, Behene De makes for a good impression.
On an overall note, Mani and ARR prove once again that they are in their own league. ARR still gives his best for Mani, and Mani still extracts the very best of Rahman. And that magical combination wouldn't waver anytime soon. 18 June shall come, and I'd be among the first to grab the tickets.
Come with your ten heads, ten minds, and a hundred voices Mani. I'm awaiting it.
Verdict: 9/10
Without giving verdicts, I'll get straight to scrutinizing all the songs.
Beera Beera
Obviously an introduction song for the main character in this movie- Abhishek's Raavan. Set against the backdrop of a rural area, the song has an unique mixture of African and Indian folk, and the result is just as good as any. AR Rahman hits the notes right once again to bring out the entire environment and a glimpse peering into Raavan's characterization. The song oozes with energy, and celebrates Raavan to the tilt. Vijay Prakash has become such a favorite of Rahman's that he is being used in all colors of songs by Rahman in recent times, coming in the back of the super-melodious 'Hosanna' in VTV, he's here stretching his vocals for 'Beera', accompanied by Mustafa Kutoane.
Now you are in the vehicle, you know the atmosphere, a solid start to the album.
Ranjha Ranjha
Don't expect a Tere Bina in Raavan. Obviously Ratnam has set the tone for all of Raavan's songs to fit a more situational frame, in flow with the entire narrative structure; and Ranjha epitomizes that perfectly. Rekha Bhardwaj dominates with her impeccable rendering, and once again ARR throws in a surprise with Javed Ali sounding unconventional supporting the vocals.
This song too brings out the vague smell of the terrains of the more rural areas in Madya Pradesh, which is where the film is mostly set in. Full of life and full of environment (atypical of ARR), Ranjha is just as pleasing.
And we go on knowing its getting better.
Tonk De Killi
Look for the name Sukhwinder Singh, and you'd know what to expect right away. The song is absolutely high on spirits, the sounds and beats staying with the environment of the album so far. Nothing too spectacular, but good nevertheless, but might end up looking as exquisite as anything on the screen. Earmarked.
Khilli Re
If I had not mentioned it so far, Aishwarya Rai plays a singing tutor in this movie, and this song definitely has something to do with that fact. For some reason reminds me of Thalapathy's Yamunai Aatrile. Minimal instruments, mainly classical, with the full scope given for Reena Bhardwaj to take centre stage and deliver the best of her vocal capacities.
Breezy.
Kata Kata
Remember 'Rukumani Rukumani' from Roja? Mani and ARR revisit among their first ever hits together with Kata Kata, which is also a song about a newly married couple, but the beats is even more livelier, and seems to go one better than the classic hit 18 years ago.
Just like 'Beera', the orchestration is heavy and vociferous, and ARR even interludes at some points. Listen to it a couple of times, and you are tapping your feet at the really catchy beats- ranking right beside Alaipayuthey's 'Yaro Yarodi' in terms of overall impact.
Very Good.
Behene De
A killer of a song. Karthik is sensational once again in this situational song that definitely to be used as an all-important number to move the story. Infused with such passion and deliverance of atmosphere, Behene De makes for a good impression.
On an overall note, Mani and ARR prove once again that they are in their own league. ARR still gives his best for Mani, and Mani still extracts the very best of Rahman. And that magical combination wouldn't waver anytime soon. 18 June shall come, and I'd be among the first to grab the tickets.
Come with your ten heads, ten minds, and a hundred voices Mani. I'm awaiting it.
Verdict: 9/10
Friday, April 16, 2010
Why we need to grow up?
Grow up. Grow up. Stop acting like a kid.
We probably have heard this statement repeated over in almost every household there is in this country- after a certain age, parents, or any elders that be, would nail the point hard through to the teenagers- the time has come for us to start acting adults. We need to talk mature, learn how to live (or survive), be cunning enough in our acts not to be taken advantage upon, learn how to earn money, not to be choosy, not to ask too many questions, and just live with a given situation.
You are walking flanked at either side by few of the most significant peoples of your life, on the midriff on a Sunday afternoon, the sun blazing nakedly over the horizon, unleashing its utmost ray- literally bathing you in sweat. You obviously don't like it, you have walked a far distance, and there's still that substantial amount of journey to go. Suddenly you see an elegant-looking car swoosh past you at the highways, covered in hue dark tinted windows, barely revealing the individuals inside. An element on mystery, an epitome of comfort. You envy at that drive, you wish immediately that you are in that car, and you tell yourself you will be in that car one day.
Few years later, you are in a very similar car, breezing past the terrains- watching from the cold, cozy comfort inside your car- and you witness a flock of people walking and talking with each other. You look at the vast spaces of your car and there you are, driving alone, and for the split moment, you'd think you make do without your shades, comfort, and elegance if you could take that walk again- flanked by people you love talking to, making them laugh and letting them make you laugh. You want, for once, for the journey to last longer so that you feel fulfilled when you reach home. What's the point of running to the destination? That one day in your life in which you will look back and say you wish- it will come.
Only that there is no reprieve when you are driving. You tell to someone the stories of your past, but indulging in past won't yield you a bread for the future, you have been told. On that ashen-faced day when you are actually sweating and walking, you take a cold drink with the people around you and bask at the great relief it provides. You don't feel like you need to be in that car anymore, all there is is a flicker of light in your eyes, gazing the future, imagining the day when you will have that elegant car in your possession, but with these people still around you, to enjoy it alongside you.
When you do drive, you realize you don't have time for that people anymore. They don't have time for you. All of you, as simple as it gets, have grown up. You have attained your pursuit, but why you wanted that pursuit in the first place has been long blown away with the wind- now brushing off the eyes and the minds of another young person, standing aloft with the world at his disposal- or so he thinks.
And then you think- that's life. And you say it with a sigh.
But why do we grow up? Why that maniacal need to grow up? It was once said that kids are God's favorite children. Ever wondered why? Is it just because they are small, innocent, unknowing? The answer is no. A child asks questions aplenty. Why is that tree green?- a child might ask. Why is the sky blue? Why don't rainbows last forever? Can we go nearer to those stars? What's beyond those skies? Why is this man begging to earn money? Can't we help him? How many countries are there in this world? Can we go around the world one day? Can we go to the sea?
What happens to all these questions? Do you get answers for them as you grow up? Obviously you don't. You just cease to ask those questions anymore- because you are told, those questions are not part of life as they say it is. Are they not? Have you figured out what life is all about? For sitting in your balcony one day and gazing into an empty space, sighing, and saying 'that's life' within the frames of your mind doesn't seem an exactly glittering way to look back at the form of life.
How do we smile when we look back? Only if we had had the courage to pursue what our hearts wanted. It's like a loose string when you let your heart rule you in life- instead of the more disciplined, rigid spaces of your brain with spoon-fed ideas, the heart's desires take you places, makes you take risks, makes you fall into deep wells, yet clamber back up to redeem yourself. The heart makes this life an incessant journey as long as there is breath in that body of yours.
And to pursue the heart's desires in the purest of senses, one must first have the ability to look at this world the way the eyes of a kid would look at it. Why shy away from questions? Do we, as the ever self-conscious adults that we are cultivated into, know all the answers that be regarding what life is all about, or even the world? We do not know anything, no matter if we are adults or kids. Why then, shouldn't we ask questions? Only then can we open new avenues for ourselves, can we conquer uncharted territories. Why look at life through the confinements of what the society thinks life is made up of? Look at the world and life, and start asking questions. You will realize there are much more answers to be found out there-- enough answers to last a lifetime. Stop sitting around, and start to make that journey that improve you as a person with every little baby steps you take. You won't end your life knowing everything even when you do that, but when you reach that twilight zone, you will know that you treated life as a journey that its supposed to be, and that you have traveled as far as you could.
The world is always at our disposal- waiting to be discovered, new wonders waiting to be unearthed. Only if you make that journey will you understand what's beyond those stars, and what's beyond those horizons. Some of us think we can't find answers by traveling at the very surface of this earth, but lest do we realize, the answers for everything in life lies right around you.
Can you be a kid again, attain that innocence and purity again, and ask those questions again, with an urge to discover?
We probably have heard this statement repeated over in almost every household there is in this country- after a certain age, parents, or any elders that be, would nail the point hard through to the teenagers- the time has come for us to start acting adults. We need to talk mature, learn how to live (or survive), be cunning enough in our acts not to be taken advantage upon, learn how to earn money, not to be choosy, not to ask too many questions, and just live with a given situation.
You are walking flanked at either side by few of the most significant peoples of your life, on the midriff on a Sunday afternoon, the sun blazing nakedly over the horizon, unleashing its utmost ray- literally bathing you in sweat. You obviously don't like it, you have walked a far distance, and there's still that substantial amount of journey to go. Suddenly you see an elegant-looking car swoosh past you at the highways, covered in hue dark tinted windows, barely revealing the individuals inside. An element on mystery, an epitome of comfort. You envy at that drive, you wish immediately that you are in that car, and you tell yourself you will be in that car one day.
Few years later, you are in a very similar car, breezing past the terrains- watching from the cold, cozy comfort inside your car- and you witness a flock of people walking and talking with each other. You look at the vast spaces of your car and there you are, driving alone, and for the split moment, you'd think you make do without your shades, comfort, and elegance if you could take that walk again- flanked by people you love talking to, making them laugh and letting them make you laugh. You want, for once, for the journey to last longer so that you feel fulfilled when you reach home. What's the point of running to the destination? That one day in your life in which you will look back and say you wish- it will come.
Only that there is no reprieve when you are driving. You tell to someone the stories of your past, but indulging in past won't yield you a bread for the future, you have been told. On that ashen-faced day when you are actually sweating and walking, you take a cold drink with the people around you and bask at the great relief it provides. You don't feel like you need to be in that car anymore, all there is is a flicker of light in your eyes, gazing the future, imagining the day when you will have that elegant car in your possession, but with these people still around you, to enjoy it alongside you.
When you do drive, you realize you don't have time for that people anymore. They don't have time for you. All of you, as simple as it gets, have grown up. You have attained your pursuit, but why you wanted that pursuit in the first place has been long blown away with the wind- now brushing off the eyes and the minds of another young person, standing aloft with the world at his disposal- or so he thinks.
And then you think- that's life. And you say it with a sigh.
But why do we grow up? Why that maniacal need to grow up? It was once said that kids are God's favorite children. Ever wondered why? Is it just because they are small, innocent, unknowing? The answer is no. A child asks questions aplenty. Why is that tree green?- a child might ask. Why is the sky blue? Why don't rainbows last forever? Can we go nearer to those stars? What's beyond those skies? Why is this man begging to earn money? Can't we help him? How many countries are there in this world? Can we go around the world one day? Can we go to the sea?
What happens to all these questions? Do you get answers for them as you grow up? Obviously you don't. You just cease to ask those questions anymore- because you are told, those questions are not part of life as they say it is. Are they not? Have you figured out what life is all about? For sitting in your balcony one day and gazing into an empty space, sighing, and saying 'that's life' within the frames of your mind doesn't seem an exactly glittering way to look back at the form of life.
How do we smile when we look back? Only if we had had the courage to pursue what our hearts wanted. It's like a loose string when you let your heart rule you in life- instead of the more disciplined, rigid spaces of your brain with spoon-fed ideas, the heart's desires take you places, makes you take risks, makes you fall into deep wells, yet clamber back up to redeem yourself. The heart makes this life an incessant journey as long as there is breath in that body of yours.
And to pursue the heart's desires in the purest of senses, one must first have the ability to look at this world the way the eyes of a kid would look at it. Why shy away from questions? Do we, as the ever self-conscious adults that we are cultivated into, know all the answers that be regarding what life is all about, or even the world? We do not know anything, no matter if we are adults or kids. Why then, shouldn't we ask questions? Only then can we open new avenues for ourselves, can we conquer uncharted territories. Why look at life through the confinements of what the society thinks life is made up of? Look at the world and life, and start asking questions. You will realize there are much more answers to be found out there-- enough answers to last a lifetime. Stop sitting around, and start to make that journey that improve you as a person with every little baby steps you take. You won't end your life knowing everything even when you do that, but when you reach that twilight zone, you will know that you treated life as a journey that its supposed to be, and that you have traveled as far as you could.
The world is always at our disposal- waiting to be discovered, new wonders waiting to be unearthed. Only if you make that journey will you understand what's beyond those stars, and what's beyond those horizons. Some of us think we can't find answers by traveling at the very surface of this earth, but lest do we realize, the answers for everything in life lies right around you.
Can you be a kid again, attain that innocence and purity again, and ask those questions again, with an urge to discover?
Monday, April 12, 2010
The lines of a traveler
Oh traveler,
You shall go on.
Behold,
The beauty of this world,
Forget your sorrows,
Bask in the blossoming of that new flower,
And embrace the colors of this world.
This path now tells me,
Someone, somewhere is waiting for you,
Why this restlesness?
Whom shall I meet in this journey?
It might be that your destiny,
Is about to happen.
For that oh traveler,
You shall go on.
For life is a vehicle,
And time are the wheels.
The is a river of tears,
And a garden of joy,
The journey is yours to travel,
Oh traveler.
Whenever I gaze through and beyond these paths,
Colors flicker across my eyes.
There's a cool breeze that tells me to keep going,
And I wonder whose village may be beyond those terrains,
The clouds have moved apart,
I could only see the clear sky,
How far has my heart brought me- I wonder;
For with each new step, I beckon a new dream,
And the journey prolongs.
Every single dream does come true,
Oh traveler,
If only you lit every passion of yours with the ray of love,
And choose the path your heart points out to you.
Time is an oyster,
Travel with love,
Oh traveler,
And you shall find the pearls in every oyster there is
All by listening to your heart.
Why does my heart feel light?
As if the breeze has carried off with it all the burdens of distress,
As if I am once again a kid,
Untainted, Innocent,
Gasping at wonder at every new nook this world has to offer,
And finding answers for every little question I ask myself.
I am wet, fresh,
Dipped in pure water,
Cleansing myself with only the forthcoming journey beckoning me.
My heart has only excitement,
Bonds are renewed and ebbed,
Life feels new.
There's love in my life,
There's a song on my lips,
This is the only ingredient of victory,
Oh traveler,
For those who can love purely can conquer your paths.
Wherever you shall go,
Never shall you lose love.
Light the lamp of love,
And brighten every road you travel on,
For it will make your paths visible.
Oh traveler,
Who is there calling out to me?
I look at the river, the mountain, the lakes, the streams and the jungles,
All seem to signify a sign,
Whose signs are these?
What are they trying to tell me?
Go on,
Oh traveler,
Destiny beckons.
You shall go on.
Behold,
The beauty of this world,
Forget your sorrows,
Bask in the blossoming of that new flower,
And embrace the colors of this world.
This path now tells me,
Someone, somewhere is waiting for you,
Why this restlesness?
Whom shall I meet in this journey?
It might be that your destiny,
Is about to happen.
For that oh traveler,
You shall go on.
For life is a vehicle,
And time are the wheels.
The is a river of tears,
And a garden of joy,
The journey is yours to travel,
Oh traveler.
Whenever I gaze through and beyond these paths,
Colors flicker across my eyes.
There's a cool breeze that tells me to keep going,
And I wonder whose village may be beyond those terrains,
The clouds have moved apart,
I could only see the clear sky,
How far has my heart brought me- I wonder;
For with each new step, I beckon a new dream,
And the journey prolongs.
Every single dream does come true,
Oh traveler,
If only you lit every passion of yours with the ray of love,
And choose the path your heart points out to you.
Time is an oyster,
Travel with love,
Oh traveler,
And you shall find the pearls in every oyster there is
All by listening to your heart.
Why does my heart feel light?
As if the breeze has carried off with it all the burdens of distress,
As if I am once again a kid,
Untainted, Innocent,
Gasping at wonder at every new nook this world has to offer,
And finding answers for every little question I ask myself.
I am wet, fresh,
Dipped in pure water,
Cleansing myself with only the forthcoming journey beckoning me.
My heart has only excitement,
Bonds are renewed and ebbed,
Life feels new.
There's love in my life,
There's a song on my lips,
This is the only ingredient of victory,
Oh traveler,
For those who can love purely can conquer your paths.
Wherever you shall go,
Never shall you lose love.
Light the lamp of love,
And brighten every road you travel on,
For it will make your paths visible.
Oh traveler,
Who is there calling out to me?
I look at the river, the mountain, the lakes, the streams and the jungles,
All seem to signify a sign,
Whose signs are these?
What are they trying to tell me?
Go on,
Oh traveler,
Destiny beckons.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
All that She is.
She loves coffee.
She's hyperactive at late nights.
She hates chocolates.
A sucker for shoes.
A Gossip Girl freak.
She dies for Harry Potter and anything to do with it.
She reads Enid Blyton to pass a short leisure time.
She can 'ter'-sleep whenever she's on the bed.
Her nails are always polished with various colors.
She's obsessed with Anushka Sharma.
Milo is her diet drink, and also the only remote form of chocolate she consumes.
She tortures her roommates by singing to them.
She's a no.1 person.
If allowed, she'd stare at me the whole day.
Gulab Jamun- another one of her obsessions.
Penang is the best place in the world for her.
Hanuman is like her imaginary friend, at all times.
She says I make her heart smile.
Little things makes her happy.
She has the best smile in the whole freakin world.
She can go on and on and on, and I can listen and listen and listen, and never ask her to stop.
She can be utterly childish and amazingly adult at the same time.
She can write, but she doesn't.
She dislikes labs for one main reason- she has to cut her nails.
She loves to cross her legs.
She hardly drags her feet.
She has fears- fears that makes me take her in my arms.
She has strength- strength that makes me lean on her shoulders.
If nobody ever says a word against it, her whole room will end up flooded in pink.
Green are Red is what you will see associated with her when Pink is absent.
If you see a salon, then watch for her gaze.
Food is the main reason why she loves this country.
UK is where the fairytale future lies for her.
She'd sleep on a bed of tulips.
If there is a personality test, the teacher will suspect her of having copied me blatantly, even though we didn't sit beside each other.
She loves being hugged from behind.
She's a Vijay fan...duh
AND
She is what Love is all about.
She's hyperactive at late nights.
She hates chocolates.
A sucker for shoes.
A Gossip Girl freak.
She dies for Harry Potter and anything to do with it.
She reads Enid Blyton to pass a short leisure time.
She can 'ter'-sleep whenever she's on the bed.
Her nails are always polished with various colors.
She's obsessed with Anushka Sharma.
Milo is her diet drink, and also the only remote form of chocolate she consumes.
She tortures her roommates by singing to them.
She's a no.1 person.
If allowed, she'd stare at me the whole day.
Gulab Jamun- another one of her obsessions.
Penang is the best place in the world for her.
Hanuman is like her imaginary friend, at all times.
She says I make her heart smile.
Little things makes her happy.
She has the best smile in the whole freakin world.
She can go on and on and on, and I can listen and listen and listen, and never ask her to stop.
She can be utterly childish and amazingly adult at the same time.
She can write, but she doesn't.
She dislikes labs for one main reason- she has to cut her nails.
She loves to cross her legs.
She hardly drags her feet.
She has fears- fears that makes me take her in my arms.
She has strength- strength that makes me lean on her shoulders.
If nobody ever says a word against it, her whole room will end up flooded in pink.
Green are Red is what you will see associated with her when Pink is absent.
If you see a salon, then watch for her gaze.
Food is the main reason why she loves this country.
UK is where the fairytale future lies for her.
She'd sleep on a bed of tulips.
If there is a personality test, the teacher will suspect her of having copied me blatantly, even though we didn't sit beside each other.
She loves being hugged from behind.
She's a Vijay fan...duh
AND
She is what Love is all about.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Sai Thaman- young and vibrant
Let's admit it. Tamil cinema has had a fervent obsession in finding the next AR Rahman, at least for the last half decade. As if ARR's days in the industry are ever numbered, every flower that sprouted in the music arena in Kollywood has been tagged as the next big thing, and then settled into certain commonplace spheres. The best examples would be the sound rise of Yuvan Shankar Raja before he settled in becoming a composer on his own right, and also of ARR's own nephew GV Prakash, who has shown glimpses of brilliance so far. I am not excluded from the list of criminals who took some albums of young composers wanting to hear a next Rahman, only to half-meet expectations, the other measured by how far that composer has fared from Rahman's standards.
Thankfully, that trend has laid to a rest now (the Oscar and the Grammy probably made many realize gems like Rahman comes once in a lifetime and you don't simply find replacements in the nick of a finger). Before anyone reading this assumes it, I'm not on this to blabber about a next Rahman, but simply a composer who is showing much promise, and in my views, deserves greater opportunities to deliver on the large frame.
Ever remember the sexually mischievous plump boy who probably became the reason why many household parents (including mine) deem that Boys isn't a film appropriate for watching? Yes, that very boy is whom I am talking about- Sai Thaman. A product of the Shankar camp, he quickly faded after Boys, and has come back in a different avatar- that of a music composer.
He debuted last in year in Shankar's own home production- the subtle thriller 'Eeram' which featured much fresh, non-celebrity faces in the lead roles. Thaman's work was received with such accolades that grapevines had it that Kamal Hassan considered him to compose for his 'Yaavarum Kelir' (now re-titled as Karunyam)-- and I was probably the most dissapointed soul around when the Karunyam team, in an act that resembled false promise- went for typical instant churner Devi Sri Prasad instead. Not that DSP is a bad choice, but stars with big attractions ala Kamal are the ones who can really expose a slew of young musical talents in the offing for Kollywood. I'm not talking about Devi Sri Prasad or Srikanth Deva, or anyone in that melee, who attained fame with the fast-paced compositions. What about the composers who come in with striking quality compositions- melodious, heartfelt, yet your heart ache when you know they are not getting the attention they deserve for the supreme quality of their work. Given their age, people like Thaman show great promise, and even if they are not born gems- given the right opportunity, they can be honed into gems.
In a thriller like 'Eeram' where there was very minimal usage of music or songs for that matter, Thaman's 'Mazhaye Mazhaye' stood out as a musical statement for the entire film. The striking matter of this song is not only that its pleasing to the ear- but it really does bring the resemblance of rain/water when you listen to it. You can come almost feel the mist descending upon you, that's the aura and atmosphere that the song created, so fitting with the tone and the theme of the entire film. (He did do exceptional background score for the film as well).
And now you have 'Mudhinam Paartheney'. Of course, you might not even have heard of this film, but kudos to Thaman for staying off the music frame long enough, and comitting to a project like MDP. The film, made by a newcomer director with newcomers on the cover, has been receiving rave reviews since its release, and probably demonstrates Thaman's ability to choose films that can express his musical vistas. Again, the pity of the moment is that you probably have not heard MDP's songs- as they are not even aired on the radio channels frequently enough to attain the kind of exposure that it deserves. Instead, 'dappankuttu' or hardcore songs from low-budget, nonsensical, brainless movies get aired in order to beef popularity for that hopeless reel of 2 hours made without an ounce of creativity.
'Indre Indre' probably is the best melody of the year, second only to ARR's magical 'Hosanna' from VTV. The song is so soothing it left me cursing when I knew the length is just short of four minutes- too short for a song that leaves you asking for more. In fact, every song in MDP leaves a distinct variety about it- even though all of them are love songs, but Thaman brings out a different atmosphere with each of them- and all of them seemingly made to fit the narration- not one of them sound like they need to be taken out to Switzerland and be shot with lavish picturization. It's an art by itself to be able to convey the story and the theme of the film through its songs yet ensuring the songs remain catchy and pleasing to the ears. Every song in MDP conveys the urban romantic drama laced with realism that it is- and I could feel this even without watching a single motion of the film's promos to date.
'Manadhin Adiyil' is a combination of an urban journeyman song laced with classical fusion, another mark of Thaman's clear eye for creativity. The theme song reveals to us that Thaman sounds just like ARR. Does that tell us something? No, it doesn't. For once, let ARR be ARR, and Sai Thaman be Sai Thaman.
But it's time Kollywood grabs a blossoming young composer, and adorns him with opportunities of the highest to showcase his talents- not by composing mass-masala numbers for money-spinning heroes- but composing for fresh, off-the-trend films which still features big stars and big banners. Doing the former would only rust the apparent creativity Thaman has in himself. He'd do good to stamp his own forte before moving to mass-masala films where he would be allowed to experiment as he wishes to and bring different sounds without having to be rigid.
For once, I'm not hyping Sai Thaman's ability up. He has a long way to go. But he has made a textbook start to his career, and he needs to get noticed now. Let's hope that happens. Kollywood isn't hyping him up, which relieves great burden off his shoulders for once.
For a prospective career ahead.
Thankfully, that trend has laid to a rest now (the Oscar and the Grammy probably made many realize gems like Rahman comes once in a lifetime and you don't simply find replacements in the nick of a finger). Before anyone reading this assumes it, I'm not on this to blabber about a next Rahman, but simply a composer who is showing much promise, and in my views, deserves greater opportunities to deliver on the large frame.
Ever remember the sexually mischievous plump boy who probably became the reason why many household parents (including mine) deem that Boys isn't a film appropriate for watching? Yes, that very boy is whom I am talking about- Sai Thaman. A product of the Shankar camp, he quickly faded after Boys, and has come back in a different avatar- that of a music composer.
He debuted last in year in Shankar's own home production- the subtle thriller 'Eeram' which featured much fresh, non-celebrity faces in the lead roles. Thaman's work was received with such accolades that grapevines had it that Kamal Hassan considered him to compose for his 'Yaavarum Kelir' (now re-titled as Karunyam)-- and I was probably the most dissapointed soul around when the Karunyam team, in an act that resembled false promise- went for typical instant churner Devi Sri Prasad instead. Not that DSP is a bad choice, but stars with big attractions ala Kamal are the ones who can really expose a slew of young musical talents in the offing for Kollywood. I'm not talking about Devi Sri Prasad or Srikanth Deva, or anyone in that melee, who attained fame with the fast-paced compositions. What about the composers who come in with striking quality compositions- melodious, heartfelt, yet your heart ache when you know they are not getting the attention they deserve for the supreme quality of their work. Given their age, people like Thaman show great promise, and even if they are not born gems- given the right opportunity, they can be honed into gems.
In a thriller like 'Eeram' where there was very minimal usage of music or songs for that matter, Thaman's 'Mazhaye Mazhaye' stood out as a musical statement for the entire film. The striking matter of this song is not only that its pleasing to the ear- but it really does bring the resemblance of rain/water when you listen to it. You can come almost feel the mist descending upon you, that's the aura and atmosphere that the song created, so fitting with the tone and the theme of the entire film. (He did do exceptional background score for the film as well).
And now you have 'Mudhinam Paartheney'. Of course, you might not even have heard of this film, but kudos to Thaman for staying off the music frame long enough, and comitting to a project like MDP. The film, made by a newcomer director with newcomers on the cover, has been receiving rave reviews since its release, and probably demonstrates Thaman's ability to choose films that can express his musical vistas. Again, the pity of the moment is that you probably have not heard MDP's songs- as they are not even aired on the radio channels frequently enough to attain the kind of exposure that it deserves. Instead, 'dappankuttu' or hardcore songs from low-budget, nonsensical, brainless movies get aired in order to beef popularity for that hopeless reel of 2 hours made without an ounce of creativity.
'Indre Indre' probably is the best melody of the year, second only to ARR's magical 'Hosanna' from VTV. The song is so soothing it left me cursing when I knew the length is just short of four minutes- too short for a song that leaves you asking for more. In fact, every song in MDP leaves a distinct variety about it- even though all of them are love songs, but Thaman brings out a different atmosphere with each of them- and all of them seemingly made to fit the narration- not one of them sound like they need to be taken out to Switzerland and be shot with lavish picturization. It's an art by itself to be able to convey the story and the theme of the film through its songs yet ensuring the songs remain catchy and pleasing to the ears. Every song in MDP conveys the urban romantic drama laced with realism that it is- and I could feel this even without watching a single motion of the film's promos to date.
'Manadhin Adiyil' is a combination of an urban journeyman song laced with classical fusion, another mark of Thaman's clear eye for creativity. The theme song reveals to us that Thaman sounds just like ARR. Does that tell us something? No, it doesn't. For once, let ARR be ARR, and Sai Thaman be Sai Thaman.
But it's time Kollywood grabs a blossoming young composer, and adorns him with opportunities of the highest to showcase his talents- not by composing mass-masala numbers for money-spinning heroes- but composing for fresh, off-the-trend films which still features big stars and big banners. Doing the former would only rust the apparent creativity Thaman has in himself. He'd do good to stamp his own forte before moving to mass-masala films where he would be allowed to experiment as he wishes to and bring different sounds without having to be rigid.
For once, I'm not hyping Sai Thaman's ability up. He has a long way to go. But he has made a textbook start to his career, and he needs to get noticed now. Let's hope that happens. Kollywood isn't hyping him up, which relieves great burden off his shoulders for once.
For a prospective career ahead.
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